Encouraging their strengths, and finally, infertility in the Bible part 2!

Ok, it's been long enough.  I'm finally going to get around to God's response to Sarah in Genesis 18.  Yay!!  But, before I get to that I want to talk about something else.

Yesterday I finished up Pastor Steven's sermon from a few days ago.  The 5th point he and his wife made was "I am Called to: encourage your strengths."  I realize that I'm not great at encouraging my spouse's strengths.  It's easier to focus on the 100 negative things than the 1 good thing, am I right?!  I'll just assume I am, so moving on.  This whole encouragement thing really got me to thinking about this last 3 weeks since I had my first shot of Lupron.

You guys.

My.Poor.Husband.  Seriously!  I'm kind of emotional as it is, but these last 3 weeks, oh forget about it.  The other day Sean and I were in the car, and there I am just crying my eyes out.  Why you ask?  No reason.  Absolutely no reason.  I just couldn't stop crying!  He kept asking me what was wrong, and all I could say was, "I'm just feeling emotional."  WHAT!  What does that even mean?!  And I know if I can hardly deal, he can really hardly deal.  So.  This is me encouraging your strengths.  Thanks for putting up with my emotions and tears and occasionally snappy attitude.  Thanks for telling me it's ok and holding my hand when I need it.  Thanks for not pushing me out of the car on the days when I'm "just feeling emotional."  I love you.

Now!  Are you ready?!

Here's a small recap in case you need it.

Sarah hasn't can't get pregnant.
Sarah gives her servant Hagar to Abraham to conceive through her.
Sarah is promised she will have a child of her own.
Sarah laughs at God.

I think that about covers it.

So now here we are in Genesis 18 where God responds.

13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and think, ‘Am I really going to bear a child, since I’m so old?’

This is where it gets good.

14 Is anything impossible[l] for the Lord?  

In another translation, God says, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  But really.  Here we are claiming to believe that God can do anything, but when it came right down to it, Sarah didn't believe that God could do anything.  I'm guessing in just those 6 words, Sarah felt pretty humbled.  I know I would.  I know I did actually!  When I came across that verse, I realized how silly it was of me to say I'll never have kids.

But this next part?  It's my favorite.

14 Is anything impossible[l] for the Lord? At the time set for it, I will return to you—about a year from now—and Sarah will have a son.”

I really thought about that line, "At the time set for it."  God didn't say, right now.  He didn't say,  when you want.  He didn't say, when you think it's the right time.  He didn't say at the time you set for it.  He said, "At the time set for it."  The time I set for it.  What an amazing idea that sometimes (insert sarcasm, because they're always done in His time), things are done in His time.  

All of this prompted me to look at some different translations and see how this verse was written in them.  This is what I came up with.

1. At the set time.

2. At the appointed time.

3. At the right time.

4. At the time appointed.

5. At a time that I will determine.

Do you see?  It wasn't about what Sarah wanted.  For Heaven's sake, she was 89 years old!  Do you think that her plan included giving birth when she was 90 years old?!  NINETY.YEARS.OLD!  No, I'm sure that's not what she wanted.  I'm sure that she didn't see that as the right time.  But it was!  It really was, because that's when God said it was.  And that made it good.

I don't know, maybe I'm just reading what I want to read, but I have to believe that God's timing is perfect.  That when it's the right time, the time set for it, Sean and I will get to have our own baby.  And I'm sure that it will be absolutely perfect.  

However, I will say, all of this time may be encouraging a little more spoiling of said baby, but, nonetheless, it will be perfect :)